


Breaking Free

by denebtenoh



Category: Final Fantasy XIII
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:14:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29853090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/denebtenoh/pseuds/denebtenoh
Summary: The group of l´Cie is at Grand Pulse, lost on what to do about their mission and searching for Oerba. Surviving in a dangerous land, Lightning finds something she had lost many years ago: Trust. And true Friendship.
Kudos: 1





	1. Walking down to doom

It was almost midday in the Yaschas Massif; its high, overwhelming mountains, deep and dangerous, kept the party of six newly branded l´Cie staring in awe at the seemingly endless cliffs and intricate paths, colored by enormous plants and broken trees, imposing and majestic in their wilderness and beauty. The wild nature that sprouted all around them was mesmerizing in its variety, in contrast with the low cut and smooth plains of the Archylte Steppe they had just left behind.

Most importantly and fortunately for them, also inhabited by monsters less deadly and aggressive than the ones living in the humongous Steppe they had learned to respect. 

On the other hand, the heat of the local temperature, along with the humidity, had already rendered the party of l´Cie sweaty and worn out, making their walk harder along the overgrown plants and trees. A hard task especially for the men of the group, for neither of them, was at all used to challenges of the sort, since the three l´Cie were what some groups would call civilians, and had lived on Cocoon´s streets all their lives, pampered and nourished by the Sanctum fal´Cie from the very first day they had been born. 

In contraposition, the two Pulse-born girls found the landscape quite alluring to their eyes and hearts, their souls falling into rhythm with their surroundings, feeling at peace with nature, their senses remembering every sound, smell, and sight they had learned to adore during their childhood years. After all, this was their homeland, and they hadn´t planted a foot on its grass for what felt like… centuries actually.

As for Lightning Farron, the leader of the group by non-spoken agreement, and an ex-sergeant of Cocoon´s military force (Guardian Corps, Bodhum Security Regiment, as she would proudly clarify), in the very scarce times she was able to put aside her anxiety and frustration over her sister´s fate (as well as their own), if only for mere fractions of a second, their escaping to Gran Pulse´s hard and dangerous land was perceived as an exciting experience. She, too, could feel the pull of nature, just like her Pulse-born friends. 

A warm breeze played with the soldier´s pink, wavy tresses and invaded her nostrils with the soothing smell of dampened grass, enhanced by the millions of tiny waterdrops evaporating from early morning´s light rain. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeper, allowing her lungs to be filled with the essence of the earth and her skin to feel the warmth of the sunlight bathing them all. She felt as if she was being renewed. Odd, since she had grown up as a city girl too, just like her male l´Cie peers. All in all, it was hard to admit, especially with the plight they were all in, but Light, as she allowed her friends to call her, wasn´t despising that much their travel along the Gran Pulse treacherous territory. Fang´s territory.

With that last thought lingering at the back of her mind, she took a glance behind her, searching for her new friend, her partner. 

‘Yes’, the stubborn soldier smiled at the thought. ‘My partner’. 

Fang was strong enough, and determined enough, that even kick-ass Lightning understood she could find support in her. With a single glimpse at her emerald orbs, the soldier could prepare and transmit a whole new battle approach for every enemy, knowing that the warrior would follow suit perfectly, molding to her every step and strike, and even sometimes improving their approach. The strawberry-blonde had just recently acknowledged such advantage, the moment both of them had faced the towering Eidolon, Alexander, helping Hope in his fight against it, reaching a level of understanding she now knew had transpired among the two of them far before that day, but without their conscious knowledge.

Lightning was so lost in thought that she was startled, and felt her face blush, the moment azure eyes met emerald ones, realizing now that she was being observed as well, studied rather, by said woman. She smiled at her friend and saw her smile back, but then noticed the look in the other´s eyes and felt uncomfortable. They were so deep in thought, they looked as if they were trying to pierce her, to read her mind. As if trying to convey concern or something more… something like understanding…? Lightning flushed a bit more at the thought and turned around, breaking eye contact. In spite of trusting the warrior on the battlefield, the soldier still felt weary and angry whenever someone tried to read through her, no matter how comfortable she felt with them.

“WWuaaaahhh!!!!!”

“What??” Abruptly jerked from her reverie, the ex-sergeant immediately turned around in response to Hope´s scream and felt her blood freeze when she saw a Behemoth King towering over the teen, who was already on the floor. “Hope!!!”

“I thought we had left those monsters behind at the steep!” yelled Fang, guard already raised and standing in front of the silver-haired one in order to protect him. Hope raised from the ground immediately, his weapon at the ready as well, running around Fang to face the monster.

“Don´t worry about me! He just got me by surprise!”

“Aaaalright!!” the strawberry blonde rolled her eyes the moment she heard Snow´s battle cry; without having to take a single glance at him, she could easily picture in her mind the ridiculously childish smile plastered on his face, and sighed. “Let´s bring this baby down!!” Had she not been so concerned about Hope, she would´ve protested at his antics.

Having the experience of battle together against countless enemies, the party immediately took their respective positions, completely synchronized, and surrounded the Pulsian monster, displaying a chain of successive attacks, one after the other, to confuse it and render it helpless against the constant hits. But the Behemoth didn´t seem faced by their tactics at all, and his armor showed little damage in spite of the constant attacking. To make matters worse, the fiend rose on its hind legs, brandishing menacingly a lethal saw on its right claw, and approached Hope with a dark, feral glint in its eyes. To her utter horror, the ex-sergeant knew just what it meant. The fiend had targeted the youngest one, and it wouldn´t be satisfied until it drew out Hope´s blood. She knew they had to act fast, and so, knowing she wasn´t skillful enough as a sentinel, the soldier made a decision.

Displaying her ultimate power, Army of One, she fired and attacked fiercely against the powerful fiend, struggling desperately to take its attention off of the teen, and onto her. It seemed the tactic had worked because, after some hesitation, the Behemoth turned towards her, slashing savagely into the air. Thankfully she was faster, and the deadly strike missed her soft flesh by mere inches. 

After making a somersault to get away from the fiend, Lightning stood her ground and addressed the rest of the group, seeking to organize them and synchronize their attacks. “Spread apart!” she ordered them, “that thing can kill any of us with a single blow!! Snow!! I need you to call its attention onto you, so we can attack it effectively!! Sazh! Fire at its right arm! We need its strength diminished!! Hope! Vanille! I need your magic now!! You know what to do!” The two youngest ones of the group nodded at her. She was getting her gunblade ready to support Sazh´s attacks but hesitated a bit, azure eyes searching for light jade ones. 

“And please Hope…” the addressed youth turned to her. “Be careful.” 

The silver-haired boy sent a reassuring smile to the tall woman, taking his position next to Vanille. Finally, the kids nodded again at the ex-sergeant and got their magic at the ready, the wind around them dancing playfully, making the soldier shiver. While Snow distracted the monster, his sentinel mode reached its peak, as he struggled to take the fiend´s attacks away from the rest of his peers; at the same time Sazh was casting a barrel of powerful fire spells against it. 

Seemingly satisfied at their new battle approach, Lightning searched for Fang´s frame and found the tribeswoman waiting for her, weapon and smirk at the ready. The moment their eyes met the warrior nodded with understanding, a huge smirk of anticipation plastered on her face, and without further ado, they both jumped in unison towards the monster, their weapons ravenous for blood. From the front, both women reached for the monster´s neck, but it shifted and blocked Fang´s Kain´s Lance with its left arm. Meanwhile, with the right it sent a powerful blow towards Lightning, clashing its saw against the soldier´s gunblade, the Omega Weapon, and remarkably easy sending her hurtling towards a wall of rock.

“Light!!” screamed Fang at seeing her partner´s body flying away.

But the soldier was no amateur at all and her honed reflexes responded immediately, just like she had trained them to do, so that she swiveled her body and broke the inertia with her feet, military boots pummeling against the rock. The soldier immediately flexed her legs and transmitted full power on her pull, jumping with all her strength and directing her aim at the monster´s head… just to be caught up in the middle of her dive by a hard body that crashed against hers, sending her straight to the ground.

“Damn!! Sunshine!!” She could hear Fang´s angry and concerned voice approaching fast. When Lightning opened her eyes after the impact, still out of breath, the sight that met her was that of horrible, bloody, sharp teeth reaching out to her neck. One of the canines that usually lurked around a Behemoth King, a Gorgonopsid, had seemingly also found its way from the steppe. She clenched the furred neck and pushed as hard as she could, fighting to avoid the threatening teeth that searched for her pulse and painfully growling at feeling the razor-like claws embedding themselves in the tender flesh of her sides, until the said wolf-like being was launched away from her in a spurt of its own blood. The warrior had finally reached the soldier and was offering a hand to her, who took it to help herself up, flinching slightly at the sharp pain coming from the fresh wounds on her waist.

“Thanks.” 

“Don´t thank me yet. I think the cavalry has just arrived.” 

And she was right, although that meant bad news for their party. Lightning could see both of them surrounded by four more Gorgonopsids, their yellowish teeth threateningly bared and hunger carved in their blazing eyes.

“Snow!” she screamed behind them.

“What?” The struggling blond answered, although barely taking a glance at her, busy as he was with the Behemoth King. 

“Protect Hope for us! We have some business to do around here!”

“What?? No!!” was the teen´s unsurprising reply. He had always hated Snow´s protection, even when he had come into terms with the man. Therefore the silver-haired boy saw in annoyance how the blond winked at him, and just rolled his eyes in defeat.

“I´m on it, Sis!!”

Lightning huffed at the nickname, but said nothing against it, being too busy already. Her blade was dancing now, cutting some furred flesh in the process. Her adrenaline skyrocketed in the battle, making her forget her recent wounds, and the pressure in her muscles intensified at the thought of the Behemoth King let loose around the kids, while she and her partner were wasting their time with the lesser monsters… that nevertheless could kill them all.

“Aaaaahh!!” She felt the raven-haired woman tense beside her and turn around before her senses could register the scream.

“Vanille!!!!”

But the soldier wasn´t prepared for the sight that met them the moment they both turned around. The youngest Pulsian hadn´t screamed because she had been hit. Instead, she saw Hope´s limp form hurled away, apparently wounded, and saw his small body crashing hard against the ground. The monster still reached out for him, seemingly unfazed by Sazh´s desperate attempts to distract it by sending all his weaponry against the fiend. Fear and sheer rage rampaged throughout the soldier´s body, setting her on fire. She completely forgot about the Gorgonopsids she had been battling and ran like a madwoman to meet the struggling group, jumping high towards the monster´s neck with a murderous intention in her crystal eyes, Omega Weapon shining furiously against the sunlight, already bathed in blood and searching for more. Lightning was well aware she was no sentinel, her shielding abilities were not as developed as her two sentinel comrades, so she understood she could never protect Hope against the deadly fiend and live to tell the tale. But she was a soldier, trained to be a killer if she needed to, therefore, her only way out was killing the monster in a single stroke. Her life and Hope´s depended on it. 

“No!!! Lightning!!!!”

The ex-sergeant didn´t register the Pulsian´s scream, all her senses focused on the monster´s rhythmic pulse on its neck, the only vulnerable part of its powerful body. It seemed as if time had slowed down as she fell forward, reaching out for her objective, and she almost didn´t notice when her body writhed on its own will, barely avoiding by mere millimeters the treacherous saw seeking her flesh, and that almost ended it all. She didn´t register that she was screaming a war cry the moment her gunblade reached down and found its soft mark, spurting red blood that drenched her face, torso and arms. But she did feel the vibration running throughout her body the moment the monster wailed a feral cry. The cry of a wounded, dying animal. As soon as Lightning could breathe again, already recovering the command of her muscles, she removed the blade from the wound and jumped backwards, avoiding again the fiend´s last deadly strikes. After a few spasmodic blows into the air, the monster collapsed onto the ground and stopped breathing, which allowed Lightning´s group to let go of the air they didn´t know they were holding.

After a few seconds of catching her breath and recovering command over her thoughts, Lightning blinked and gained her focus again. Immediately rushing towards the teen she cared so much for, she hugged tightly a very impressed and very blushed Hope, not noticing that she was covering his body in blood. 

“Oh… Light… emh… I was worried about you too…”

The young woman sighed, arms tightly clutching his slim frame, quivering slightly at the emotions that ran throughout her being. Once she recovered from the thousands of ghastly possibilities that had crossed over her mind, she whispered with her usual husky voice, an action that sent inevitable shivers down the teen´s spine. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah.” He sighed, sheepishly returning the embrace, basking in the joy their closeness brought to him. “It aches a bit but I think I´ll live.”

After finally feeling confident that he was indeed alive, she broke the embrace and hastily searched for wounds around his head and body. Her hands hovered over him making the teen´s blood invade his face and ears with a vengeance, something that seemed to pass unnoticed by the strawberry blonde and therefore didn´t prevent her from finishing her inspection. Her only concern now was to know that he was in one piece. Softly touching his chest, she noticed him flinching, realizing it was probably the area where he had received the fiend´s blow.

The strawberry blonde locked eyes with him, not noticing they were being surrounded by the rest of the group. At the moment, her sole focus seemed to be the well-being of her pupil. 

“Is it broken?” 

Hope slowly shook his head, but then softly and rather hesitantly placed his hands on each side of Lightning´s waist, and this time it was her turn to recoil at the contact. She had completely forgotten the wounds inflicted by the Gorgonopsid. 

“Maybe I do have some broken ribs, but they´re definitely not bleeding. On the other hand, you…” he sighed sadly, concerned about her. He called up his magic immediately, and they both were surrounded by a warm and bluish fog. 

“Hope, I think you should take care of your bruise first.” 

The teen smiled. “It´s alright, this will help us both.” He raised his eyes to meet hers, and she could see his light jade orbs ablaze in delight as well as something close to pride. “I learned this spell today in the morning, it will heal us both at the same time, you know?”

Her smile, on the other hand, was unmistakably full of pride, as she felt the soothing sensation of magic healing her flesh. Still quivering at the thousands of possibilities that had assaulted her mind, she collected once again the smaller frame in her arms, while the magical cloud did its work on their wounds.

“Awww… they look so cute!” spoke Vanille beside them, hands brought together delightfully, as Sazh and Fang just nodded their agreement, knowing grins plastered on their faces.

“Hey! We made it!! Is everyone ok?” 

The tender moment broken, everyone turned around to meet the owner of the voice, but when the ex-sergeant recognized Snow´s cheerful tone from behind her, her whole body tensed, as if an electric current had run through it, and she turned around slowly. At the sight of his antics and his gleeful attitude, her rage came back in an instant, staining her vision in a red hue. Everyone disappeared in her field of vision except one. 

Snow had failed in protecting Hope, surely because of his stupid hero act. The problem was that this time she and the teen had almost died for his mistake. 

That was it. 

It was payback time and she was going to make sure he would suffer under her hand. Her icy blue orbs fixed on her prey, she walked determinedly towards the unaware blond.


	2. Venting

Omega Weapon shone like a vengeance, the reflection of the sunrays blazing through its shaft, already stained with dry blood in many places, which didn´t deter its lethal edge from sparkling in a rainbow of light, like craving for more bloodshed. Just like the azure orbs of her yielder.

But Kain´s Lance wasn´t left behind at all. Its lithe crimson body welcomed the caress of the sun through its full length, which ended in powerful edges that cut through the wind at its every move, at every turn of its wielder´s skilled wrist; with every swing, the air seemed to sing in amazement and delight. 

And deep, powerful emerald orbs were locked with blazing azure ones menacingly.

The moment the weapons were drawn, it seemed for the two combatants that the world around them had disappeared altogether. The only thing perceptible for them was their respective opponent and the end of each sharp edge. 

They had arrived into their own, private world. 

The first strike of Omega Weapon resonated through the woods, producing sparks at its encounter with Kain´s Lance´s rough and intricate surface, which seemed to greet gleefully the sharpened kiss of the blade. Just like the warrior greeted the temperamental soldier´s strike. 

Blow after blow, they started dancing a perfectly-known choreography. With lithesome movements, agile and astonishing for anyone to witness, they rounded over one another like felines. Like a feral lioness battling a bloodthirsty black panther, such lethal, powerful, and graceful dance they shared. 

And each stroke changed their expressions. Both eyebrows furrowed in concentration, both sets of eyes shone in determination, but Lightning´s clear blue gaze began to soften, dampening in concentration, soothing her rumbling heart with every calculated movement. Each time her muscles vibrated with the resonance of metal against metal, she felt as if it dissipated her distress. Her doubts seemed to be cleared at every huff and every sweatdrop, which now had her whole body completely drenched in sweat. 

After several minutes of exchanging blows, the aching and pleasant sensation of exhaustion started to reach the ex-sergeant, while her lungs burned in oxygen deprivation. She pushed further, making her muscles scream in agony, her heart pumping faster in rage. She realized it was out of willpower only that her body moved, and smiled at the pleasure it brought to her soul. The sheer pleasure of a soldier. 

And Fang? Well, she was enjoying the game as well.

Only, this time it wasn´t a smirk that covered her delicate and exotic features. It was a genuine and bright smile. Each clash of their weapons sent shivers down her spine, the realization that each split nanosecond of doubt could bring the blade´s kiss on her skin, and the danger embedded on it was prompting her to give her best. 

Finally, she thought in amusement. The warrior felt no longer the need to hold back. 

Finally!, her mind screamed in pleasant laughter. She had found her match. And the knowledge of it made her growl in satisfaction, straining her muscles further and pushing the soldier backwards, in a rush of adrenaline. 

The weapons clashed again, and Fang swirled around, seeking Lightning´s head with the point of Kain´s Lance, and yelling what it was now her battle cry.

“Woohoo!!!!”

The soldier lunged, easily avoiding the blow, and noticed a faint smile gracing her features. At each impact, she could feel Fang´s excitement through the blast of their weapons, running wild like a river, or more likely, like a storm. And it impressed her how she shared those feelings headily. But, as much as she was enjoying their little sparring time, this was also a matter of honor, therefore her determination had been set. She would not be defeated. 

Time to end this. 

Without losing her momentum, and aware that her speed could overcome that of the warrior, the soldier gave the taller one a powerful kick in the ribs that sent her crashing against a nearby tree, the wind forcefully blown out of her lungs, and, taking advantage of the extra time it gave her, the strawberry blonde completed the attack with a summersault that ended in a slashing downwards strike with Omega Weapon, dangerously directed at the Pulsian´ lithe form. 

But Fang saw her coming just in time, reacting immediately, and the blade ended up smashing against Kain´s Lance´s shaft… which parted in three at the force of the impact, with the consequence of the end of the gunblade embedding itself deep into the tree´s body over which Fang had supported her weight, the sharp steel completely jammed in it… leaving the weapon incapacitated. 

Before she could process the events and come out of her astonishment, Lightning felt the edge of Fang´s weapon gracing the delicate skin of her exposed neck. The sharp metal against her tender area stopped the soldier dead in her tracks, completely bewildered, and azure orbs found delight blazing in their emerald counterparts.

Both women stood motionless for a full minute, each one staring into the other´s eyes, panting out of breath, bodies completely drenched in sweat, until Fang huffed and allowed her body to fall to the ground, utterly exhausted, her graceful frame crashing into the green grass as if she was a puppet that had suddenly lost its strings, unceremoniously tossing the ends of her weapon aside. Lightning remained standing a few seconds longer, struggling to gather her breath, until she let go of Omega Weapon´s hilt and also crumbled to the ground, her muscles screaming painfully, and laid side by side with the warrior. They both allowed the sun to bathe their worn-out bodies, and to fill them with energy once more.

After finding her breath, Fang finally spoke in between gasps.

“I… I think it means… I won.” Fang remarked with one of her trademark smirks.

“I think it means… you cheated.” The strawberry blonde glared in her direction, still out of breath. “You never mentioned… your lance could do that.”

“Well.” The taller woman responded with the worst devilish smile Lightning had ever seen so far. “You… never asked.” She chuckled at her friend´s look of utter indignation. “It still means I won.”

“Tch… whatever.” The soldier replied, taking her eyes off of her friend, lest she lost the sense of relief that had washed over her after their little spar. 

The raven-haired woman prompted herself up on one elbow to get a better look at her partner, and worried, her emerald eyes searched for traces of anguish on the lighter ones. “Say Sunshine. Feel any better now?”

The question took the strawberry blonde by surprise, who opened her azure eyes wide in astonishment, at a loss of words for a moment. “Do you… do you mean you did this… to cheer me up?”

“Well...” The taller woman fidgeted, as a blush crept up her tanned features. “There´s something about that too…” 

This time Lightning couldn´t avoid a sincere smile of gratitude gracing her features. “Thank you, Fang.”

The Pulsian smiled back, pleased to know she had accomplished her mission and then whistled in astonishment. “Although I gotta tell ya, next time I decide to help you out on easing your frustrations away, I think I´ll just let you cry on my shoulder, ya know?” she winked at the strawberry blonde and shoved her shoulder lightly with one fist, the addressed woman just chuckled as a response. 

“Please do.” Then they locked eyes with each other and, as if on cue, both women started laughing quite heartily, the warrior amazed in delight at watching the soldier laugh, a side of her nobody had seen so far, but she didn´t speak her heart. She didn´t want to spoil the moment.

After a few minutes of so-needed laughter, the two women sighed in delight, eyes watering at the outburst, and Fang rose to sit on the grass, both of them basking in the moment of calmness that the powerful release of energy had brought them. Their skins were glistening, completely dampened in sweat, which brought both of them chills at its evaporation with the warming sunrays and the afternoon breeze. 

Lightning inhaled deeply and stole a glance at her friend, who had been watching the shadow of Cocoon from their standpoint.

“How is it that I can be like this when you´re around?” She chuckled as if finding the answer herself. “Vanille is quite lucky to have you by her side.”

The raven-haired woman smiled gratefully at her words, and then searched the azure sight with her own. “You have me by your side too, Light.” The younger woman furrowed at this. “You just don´t want to realize it.”

“Is that so?” the soldier turned away from her, her cold mask returning in place, way too fast for the Pulsian´s liking. But Fang just couldn´t understand. The words spoken so blatantly had touched a sore spot deep within the strawberry blonde´s memory, and she refused to acknowledge the pain it brought to her. What angered her the most, was the fact that the warrior had said those words so… easily. 

“Tch…” No one who speaks like that can be completely honest.

Fang sighed, heart aching at noticing the younger one´s mask of disbelief. Again. 

Damn! She thought. Guess I screwed it up. She sighed and got up, standing in front of the younger one. Sorry, but I´m not gonna let this go, Sunshine. You´re gonna take everything out now! 

The woman had noticed her friend had seemed troubled for quite a few days now, and she could almost tell what tore at her heart. Her mind set, the taller woman confronted the shorter one, and Lightning could see the determined look renewed, accompanied with a concerned expression on the tanned features.

“Yeah, that is so, Lightning. It´s just that you´re too scared to admit that you can actually trust us, am I right?”

The woman huffed at her bluff being called and turned her eyes astray, rising from the ground and refusing to meet the other´s piercing gaze.

But Fang wouldn´t let it slip so easily. She knew how it hurt, what it was like, not to believe in people, to think there was no one to trust. To be completely alone by choice. And it tore at her heart to think that, most probably, the strawberry blonde had been walking that same path, maybe longer than herself. Therefore, for her friend´s sake, and after seeing the soldier´s previous outburst as a desperate scream for help, the Pulsian warrior had made up her mind on bringing that suffering to an end… at least as far as the stubborn soldier would allow. 

“People hurt you, it´s true.” She started with a determined voice, trying to bring onto her the soldier´s attention. “People betray you. People leave you alone. All those are the truth. But what about the rest of the truth?” Fang motioned her arms around for emphasis and Lightning raised a delicate eyebrow at her partner. 

“People take care of you. People make you smile. People love you.” She locked eyes with the azure ones, taking a step closer to her friend. “And you know it, you have felt it. There´s Hope who adores you, you can´t tell me you haven´t noticed, and I know you care for him too.” Lightning fought to suppress a smile when the memory of the teen´s stubborn and at the same time innocent countenance reached her mind. “And there´s Serah…” this time the soldier turned away as if the sole mention of her sister hurt, but she didn´t acknowledge it. 

“I know… I understand.” Fang´s eyes softened, she knew how it ached, but she pressed on after a sigh. “You know Vanille is the only reason why I´m doing this, of me following you all.” Lightning didn´t show any sign of response, so the taller woman kept on. “As I told you, I would tear down the sky to save her, and so far I´ve proven you all that I spoke the truth. Those are my intentions.”

“Yeah, I know.” The strawberry blonde finally whispered and Fang could notice a hint of envy on her husky voice, the sound of it rendering her silent for a moment, completely at a loss of words. Did the soldier crave that determination? 

How odd, the Pulsian pondered, I would´ve never thought of her feeling that way. 

But in truth, the older woman understood all too well. To lose the one that gave your life a sense of purpose was the most deadly blow one person could ever receive, no matter how strong that person could be. And although she felt Snow and herself, as well as the rest of their adoptive family, had inflicted a bit of hope into Lightning´s injured heart, she was sure the younger one still lingered on such depressive thoughts, especially after their last encounter with Cocoon´s treacherous Patriarch, only, the mask of the eldest Farron seemed to be tougher than her own mask.

Closing her eyes to keep her own emotions in check, the tall warrior kept on. “I´ve been taking care of Vanille for as long as I can remember, ya know? And that simple task is the thing that fills my world, the purpose that makes me keep on striving. And you… you´ve been taking care of someone your whole life too. Serah at first, and now that you´ve lost her, you´ve found someone to protect in the form of Hope.”

Still silent, and refusing to meet the emerald gaze, Lightning´s weight shifted uncomfortably at the last words. 

Even though her actions spoke volumes, the soldier´s silence allowed the taller woman to continue uninterrupted. 

“But I know there´s not only one person, my friend. I feel that you´ve taken the responsibility of everyone´s well-being in your own hands.” Lightning´s eyes opened wide in surprise. 

Bingo! Thought the Pulsian in delight, but prevented a smirk from gracing her lips and just kept on. 

“I know. I have as well. And I´ve watched you the way you´ve tried to have Vanille in check, as well as Sazh, with Snow trailing behind only because you´re too stubborn to get your pretty head out of the silly disagreement you three had. And I have also noticed you do care for me too.” Fang chuckled at the thought before continuing. “I even get the feeling that you´re fighting to protect me.” 

A faint pink stain crept into Lightning´s cheeks and she turned around, huffing irritated at her heart being told, her blood boiling again, but this time in weariness. She wasn´t used to be close to someone who could see through her, besides Serah… and the feeling unnerved her. The soldier´s reaction made Fang smirk, realizing she was touching a soft spot and, determined to continue as far as she could go, she approached the younger one. 

“But you know?” emerald orbs shone intensely, searching and finding azure ones, “it doesn´t have to be this way. You don´t have to bear the weight of everyone´s lives.”

“Of course I have to!” Her core shaken completely at the exposure of her utmost fear, the younger one snapped angrily. “They´ve followed me! I can´t leave them on their own! They trust me!!”

“Of course they do!” answered Fang as if she was talking to a little child. “We all do! But what I meant is that you don´t have to do this alone! Because, if you haven´t noticed yet, you are not alone anymore. And you know it.”

“Stop it!” 

Lightning hadn´t yelled. Her voice had just raised an octave, but the power and authority behind it had halted time around them.

With two words their positions had shifted.

It hadn´t been a request. It was a command. The order of a commander, a leader, an officer in charge, and the icy and adamant voice had unexpectedly rooted Fang to the ground. 

Searching for the younger one´s eyes, the Pulsian noticed the change immediately. 

There it was again, the perfect cold mask of the sergeant, completely set in place, and the warrior could feel the impenetrable wall of steel and stone that enveloped the soldier´s heart. But the pride of the older woman felt tainted, and she refused to lose so easily, so she was about to push her luck a bit further, until her eyes fell smothered against the shimmering in the icy blue ones. 

“Don´t.” 

The voice of the eldest Farron was freezing, dead. The husky tone seemed shallow, but menacing nonetheless, and Fang finally understood there was no helping it now. She wouldn´t be able to trespass the iron wall without seriously injuring their developing friendship. So the taller woman sighed in defeat, shaking her head in disbelief and disappointment, bringing her hands onto her hips.

“Fine, fine. Have it your way.” She huffed, turning around and walking away from her friend, her temper almost trespassing the line of anger. “I´ll leave you alone to think over what we´ve just talked.” 

“I don´t need to.” The soldier crossed her arms and held her chin up high as if daring Fang to speak against it. Azure stern look met the emerald orbs, and Fang just smirked in disbelief, shaking her head once more and turning around, walking the path towards the camp.

“Oh! But before I go, there´s something you have to understand, soldier.” She spoke without turning her head. The harsh tone on Fang´s voice shook Lightning to the core, but not a single trace of it showed on her features. “We all care for you. And we all need you. So please don´t make us wait for you. It actually aches.” 

The woman kept walking, already too tired of the soldier´s attitude, until she stopped, as if not sure how to proceed next, as if angry at herself for not being able to just let go. 

She sighed again, and retraced her steps, planting her feet firmly on the ground in front of the younger one, as if striving to convey the fact that she wouldn´t be moved until she spoke her heart. 

“And Lightning.” With a gentle movement, she locked eyes with the icy orbs and placed a hand on the younger one´s shoulder, who thankfully at least didn´t move a muscle. “One last thing. I know you won´t stop protecting us all, it´s in your blood, and I don´t really want you to stop. I kinda like it to see you fighting for our well-being.” 

A delicate eyebrow rose, but the taller woman kept on. 

“But, whenever you get tired of it and need a release, remember this: be strong for them, because whenever you need it, I´ll be strong for you.” Lightning´s azure eyes opened wide again, as Fang´s emerald orbs were piercing her own.

That said, Fang clapped playfully the ex-sergeant´s cheek, smiled, and walked the path towards the camp, this time without adding more comments.

Lightning stood motionless, arms crossed and eyes cold. But her heart and blood were in turmoil, and her mind was reeling fast. 

“Tch…” she then turned around and walked towards the opposite direction the other woman had followed, aiming her steps towards the pristine waters of the river.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well… you have no idea how much this chapter meant to me, because you could actually see my heart in here. The things I´ve learned and the ones I still refuse to acknowledge… but that I can already see. I can relate Light´s path is gonna be a painful one, (believe me, not only blood, but maybe tears), but life is just like that, be?
> 
> Shootout for ALL my friends who have made an important part of my life, my change and the renewing of my soul!! THANK YOU ALL!!!

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first attempt at writing a Final Fantasy fanfiction, so it has a special place in my heart. I´ve been a fan of the series for many years now, completely adoring the many games Square Enix has released. But none of them had touched my heart as this one did, the XIIIth. And I know many people consider it to be the worst FF ever, gameplay and plot-wise. But no matter what they all say. This is the first time that the character´s development is well worked and polished (if only, FFX was the closest). And this is the first time EVER that the main character is a female. A strong, determined, completely independent female. Just like XXIst´s century women. So this is my offering at the fantastic tale they´ve provided us. I´ve reviewed and fixed many of the scenes, besides adding some more. Hope you enjoy it!!  
> As usual, the characters and main plot don’t belong to me but to Square Enix. Please don´t sue me!!


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